Apple Releases Golden Master Version of iOS 12 Shortcuts App

Ahead of next week's launch of iOS 12, watchOS 5, and tvOS 12, Apple has released an updated version of the Shortcuts app that will be available once iOS 12 is released.

The new Shortcuts beta is the golden master (GM) version of the app, which represents the final version of the app that will be provided to consumers.

According to Apple's release notes, the new Shortcuts update introduces new actions that were not available during the beta testing period, with "Limited actions available in beta" listed as a resolved issue.

Over the course of the iOS 12 beta testing period, access to the Shortcuts iOS app via Testflight has been limited to developers. Public beta testers and general consumers will be able to experience the Shortcuts app for the first time next week.

For those unfamiliar with Shortcuts, it's an iOS 12 Siri feature designed to let you create multi-step shortcuts using first and third-party apps that can be activated by Siri voice command.

So, for example, you can create a shortcut to do something like turn on the thermostat at home using the Nest app, text your roommate that you're on the way with Messages, and open up the Maps app with directions home all with a single "I'm going home" Siri command.

Shortcuts are deeply customizable, with third-party apps able to expose a series of quick actions to Siri that can be incorporated into your Shortcuts recipes. Apps are expected to begin releasing updates with Siri Shortcuts support and other iOS 12 features starting next week.

Apple will release iOS 12, watchOS 5, and tvOS 12 to the public on Monday, September 17. The software updates will likely be released at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time.

Being able to control home automation products using Siri is most of the reason I bought into HomeKit, so being able to go outside of HomeKit and still have Siri support is a big deal. It is going to be great to tie this into apps like IFTTT.

Taking in consideration how far artificial intelligence is today, Siri should be doing this. What about quantum computers? IBM, Google, Microsoft are working on that. IBM gives free access to that system, Microsoft gives a free quantum simulator to anyone that wants to play with it. What about Apple? iOS 12 with shortcuts...

. It’s nothing more than a voice-triggered macro. The user still has to set up the sequence of actions. Siri isn’t doing anything other than triggering the macro. We still can’t interact with apps using Siri.

Shortcuts is a feeble attempt at making Siri seem more competitive. It might be a nice feature, although I doubt I’ll use it personally. Macros have existed for decades. This is the same thing, repackaged. There’s nothing special going on here. You still have to do all the work by setting up the macros. You know things are slowing down in the inspiration department at Apple when voice-triggered macros is the big, new, exciting feature.

Jesus. You people have no idea what you’re talking about. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Shortcuts — the app — is just the manual interface for Shortcuts — the framework — to give tinkerers more control. You don’t have to manually build shortcuts. Siriwillbuild shortcuts for you.

If you do something regularly, like ordering dinner at your usual place in an App and turning on your thermostat at home with HomeKit just as you leave the office and set your Maps to see the traffic to give you the best route home, Siri will notice the routine and suggest a Shortcut that does those things.

App developers can create Shortcut hooks within their apps to do complex things that with the push of one button will give you direct access to functions in an app by using Siri from anywhere in iOS. You can interact with apps using Siri. The complexity of those functions depend on what the developer builds in. Users won’t have to go into the Shortcuts app to do those things. They’re within the apps themselves and Siri will pop up Shortcut suggestions that it builds for you on the lock screen.

The least you could do is to have listened to the WWDC keynote where Shortcuts was introduced before criticizing.

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